Pneumatic soccer game

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic game apparatus. The apparatus comprises a table. The table comprises a horizontal top surface and peripheral side walls. Side walls extend above the top surface of the table. The table is provided with four apertures located at four opposite corners of the table. The apertures are located within the peripheral side walls at the corners. A plurality of manual pump means project air in a substantially horizontal manner from each aperture, across the top surface of the table. The plurality of pump means are positioned at a respective corner of the table and have outlets. Mounting means to mount each on the plurality of pump means are provided for rotation of the outlets about a vertical axis. One play object is positionable on the top surface of the table. The projected air streams move the play objects on the top surface of the table under a control of opposing players manipulating each of the plurality of manual pump means and manipulating the direction of the air streams, through rotation of the outlets.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to games. More particularly, theinvention relates to a game with pump means to move a play object acrossa play surface by directed air impulses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several different games including foosball, table hockey and billiardsare played on a miniaturized surface typically supported on a table.Different systems and methods have been developed to move play objectsin such games.

US 2010/0133747 discloses a game that uses a source of compressed gas tomove play objects across play surface. A triggering device is used byplayers to select one or several jets and selectively trigger gas flowsfrom the selected jets in order to control movement of the play object.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,481 discloses a pneumatic board game apparatusincluding a playing board having two groups of holes in its top facewith a partition preventing each player from seeing the opponent's groupof holes. Air channels interconnect the holes of one group with theholes of the other group. Pump means cause an impulse of air to travelthrough the channels and ejecting playing pieces on the other side ofthe board.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,543 discloses an air action game where playingpieces are propelled by air streams discharged from opposed nozzles ateach end of a game table top. The nozzles are swivelled in order toredirect the air stream across the entire top surface of the table todisplace the playing pieces across the surface.

However, there is still presently a need for a pneumatic soccer gamethat can improve the hand-eye coordination of the players displacingplaying pieces on a game table surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic soccer gameapparatus that satisfies the above-mentioned need.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic gameapparatus comprising:

-   -   a table, said table comprising a horizontal top surface and        peripheral side walls, said side walls extending above the top        surface of the table, said table provided with four apertures        located at four opposite corners of the table, said apertures        being located within said peripheral side walls at said corners;    -   a plurality of manual pump means to project air in a        substantially horizontal manner from each aperture, across the        top surface of the table, each of said plurality of pump means        being positioned at a respective corner of the table and having        an outlet;    -   mounting means to mount each of said plurality of pump means for        rotation of each of the outlets about a vertical axis; and    -   at least one play object positionable on the top surface of the        table,        whereby the projected air streams move said play object on said        top surface of said table under a control of opposing players        manipulating each of said plurality of manual pump means and        manipulating a direction of the air streams, through rotation of        the outlets.

Preferably, each of said plurality of pump means is selected from agroup comprising bellows and manual pistons.

Preferably, the corners of the table top, where the apertures receivingoutlets of the pump means are located, are curved inwardly.

Preferably, the rotation of the pump means outlets is restricted to arange of approximately 90 degrees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon reading the detailed description and upon referring to thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pneumatic soccer game in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the pneumatic soccer game shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one of the manual pump means used inthe pneumatic soccer game shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, there isprovided a pneumatic game apparatus 10. The game apparatus comprises atable 12. The table 12 comprises a horizontal top surface 14 andperipheral side walls 16. The side walls 16 extend above the top surface14 of the table 12. The table 12 is provided with four apertures 18located at four opposite corners 19 of the table 12. The apertures 18are located within the peripheral side walls 16 at the corners. Thetable 12 also includes a plurality of manual pump means 20 to projectair in a substantially horizontal manner from each aperture 18, acrossthe top surface 14 of the table 12. Each of the plurality of pump means20 is positioned at a respective corner of the table 12 and has anoutlet. The table also has mounting means 22 to mount each of theplurality of pump means 20 for rotation of each of the outlets 23 abouta vertical axis 24. The game apparatus also includes at least one playobject positionable on the top surface 14 of the table 12. The projectedair streams move the play object on the top surface 14 of the tableunder a control of opposing players manipulating each of the pluralityof manual pump means 20 and manipulating the direction of the airstreams, through rotation of the outlets 23.

Preferably, each of said plurality of pump means 20 is selected from agroup comprising bellows and manual pistons.

Preferably, the corners 19 of the table 12 where the apertures 18receiving outlets 23 of the pump means are located, are curved inwardly.

Preferably, the rotation of the pump means outlets 23 is restricted to arange of approximately 90 degrees.

The game is made up of the following components:

-   -   game table;    -   frame;    -   soccer players;    -   soccer gates;    -   polystyren ball;    -   flexible PVC bellows;    -   pipes; and    -   pivot axle.

This game can be played by 2, 3 or 4 players.

The table frame has in each corner small opening windows. These smallwindows allow passage of compressed-air jets to the ball.

The motion of the ball is caused by the compressed-air jet coming fromthe air pumps, that are situated in each corner, and directing airstreams at the ball.

The air that is compressed by pressing vertically the air pump by hand,is pushed through the pipe which makes a well-directed compressed-airjet. If one releases the air pump, it comes back to its initialposition, as the pump is flexible as a spring.

Directing the compressed-air jet to any position of the ball on thefield is done manually by orientating the air pump, that is connected tothe tube through the motion of a 90 degrees circular curve made by thepivot axle.

The players will first orientate the air pumps by pivoting them at theapproximate degree they want so that the compressed-air jet hits theball, and then, they will press vertically the upper parts of the airpump to actually create the compressed-air jet, that will hit the balltrying to push it into the opponent's goal.

The players on the field are fixed and their role is to create obstaclesfor the ball by changing its direction as in a billiards game.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theseprecise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may beeffected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of thepresent invention.

1. A pneumatic game apparatus comprising: a table, said table comprisinga horizontal top surface and peripheral side walls, said side wallsextending above the top surface of the table, said table provided withfour apertures located at four opposite corners of the table, saidapertures being located within said peripheral side walls at saidcorners; a plurality of manual pump means to project air in asubstantially horizontal manner from each aperture, across the topsurface of the table, each of said plurality of pump means beingpositioned at a respective corner of the table and having an outlet;mounting means to mount each of said plurality of pump means forrotation of each of the outlets about a vertical axis; and at least oneplay object positionable on the top surface of the table, whereby theprojected air streams move said play object on said top surface of saidtable under a control of opposing players manipulating each of saidplurality of manual pump means and manipulating a direction of the airstreams, through rotation of the outlets.
 2. The pneumatic gameapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of pump means isselected from a group comprising bellows and manual pistons.
 3. Thepneumatic game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corners ofthe table top, where the apertures receiving outlets of the pump meansare located, are curved inwardly.
 4. The pneumatic game apparatusaccording to claim, wherein the rotation of the pump means outlets isrestricted to a range of approximately 90 degrees.